LEIGH Davies was tonight summoned from the international rugby wilderness for Wales's Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship clash against Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday.

Llanelli centre Davies will replace Jamie Robinson after the 21-year-old's hopes of making his Six Nations debut - he won two caps as a replacement during Wales' summer tour to Japan - were destroyed by injury.

Robinson has been sidelined by a hamstring problem picked up in training this week, clearing the way for 18 times-capped Davies' recall.

The former Neath, Cardiff and Bristol powerhouse last featured when Wales beat Canada in a World Cup warm-up match just over two years ago.

Davies, who has produced consistently impressive club form this season, made his Test debut against Italy in 1996 under Wales coach Graham Henry's predecessor Kevin Bowring.

He has only appeared once - in the Canada game - since Henry took charge more than three years ago.

"This is huge for Leigh," Henry said. "When I arrived in Wales, he had a big reputation and a lot of people thought that he would be a significant player, but it hasn't happened.

"He has been playing well this season, and this is a good opportunity for him."

Henry added that it had proved a difficult decision to rule Robinson out, but admitted: "He wasn't quite there."

Captain David Young allayed fears about his fitness by training fully today following an ankle injury scare last weekend. The Lions prop lines up as planned, winning his 50th cap.

Bath scrum-half Gareth Cooper has lost his fitness fight to be on the replacements' bench though, so Llanelli youngster Dwayne Peel will act as cover for Rob Howley.

Ireland also suffered an injury setback today when lock Gary Longwell withdrew from the side after breaking a finger in training.

The 30-year-old Ballymena and Ulster forward will be replaced by Malcolm O'Kelly, who had been originally relegated to replacement bench duty, and Trevor Brennan takes over among the substitutes.

Wing Shane Williams, meanwhile, hopes for an injury-free run after gaining what he termed "a bolt from the blue" selection to face Ireland.

Williams has hardly played this season, yet the 24-year-old speedster's proven Test try-scoring record - 10 touchdowns in just nine games - underpins a surprise recall.

He proved his fitness by emerging unscathed from Neath's European Shield defeat against Bristol last Sunday, yet didn't expect to find himself back on the international scene so soon.

A summer cycling accident saw Williams cut his arm so badly that a skin graft was required, ruling him out of Neath's early fixtures, but things then went from bad to worse.

He suffered a hip injury when Neath lost at home to Newport last month, and also reopened the arm wound, meaning more time sidelined.

"It wasn't exactly the best of days," he recalled. "It seemed like I suffered a catalogue of injuries all in the same game.

"But thankfully, everything went OK at Bristol and there was no reaction to either injury. I took a few bangs to my elbow and hip, but they both stood up to it."

Henry's decision to select Williams - he takes from the injured Gareth Thomas, who would have been switched to centre had he been fit - will prove a winner with Welsh fans everywhere.

Williams' searing pace and adventurous approach has made him a crowd-pleaser, and he is determined to repay faith shown in him by the Welsh management.

"I don't think that the fact I haven't played much rugby this season will work against me," he added. "In fact, I feel a lot better now than I did at this stage of last season.

"To tell you the truth, this call-up has come as a real bolt from the blue. Although I pushed hard to get back in the Neath team last Sunday, I didn't imagine for one moment that I would be playing against Ireland six days later.

"It is a real bonus for me, and hopefully this shows that the management don't think I am lacking anything performance-wise, as was the case last year.

"This shows that Graham has confidence in me, and now I have to repay that confidence.

"This is an exciting Welsh back division, and I just hope that Dafydd (James), Kevin (Morgan) and myself see plenty of ball.

"We cannot score tries if we don't get the chance to run at Ireland, and running at them is what I am looking forward to doing."